Photolitho machine



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' H. C. BOEDICKER PHOTOLITHO MACHINE Filed April 26, 1919 14 Sheets-Sheet l Sept s, 1925.

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H. C. BOEDICKER PHOTOLITH MACHINE Spt. 8, 1925. 1,552,817

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H. C. BOEDICKER PHoToLITH MACHINE Filed April 26, 1919 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 JNM/WM Sept. 8, V1925.

H. C. BOEDICKER PHOTOLITHO MACHINE Filed Ap'ril 26, 1919 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 sept s, 192s. n y 1,552,817

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` H. C. B'OEDICKER PHOTOLITHO MACHINE Filed April 2e, 1919 14sheets-sheet 14 ao 1 m1411133?? 2M j v 205 /aJ y/ v1917, (patented January' 13, 1920, No;

Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

l 1,552,317- PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN C. BO'EDIGKER, OF- MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

P HOTOLITHO MACHINE 'Application mea april as, 1919. serial np. 292,980.

To all t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN C. BOE- DICKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a-resident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Photolitho Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a photolitho- .graph machine, and relates specifically to improvements on. 4the devices shown in my copending applications, Serial No.- 56931, Viiled -October 20, 1915, and entitled Art of making photo prints on rintin plates; and Serial No. 150,613, fi ed Fe ruary 23,

1,327 ,7 52, for combination machine for mak- 4,lng photo-prints on printing plates by direct contact or projection printing).

One object of my invention is to provide", in a photolithograph machine, improved means for obtaining the relative adjustment of the projection machine -and printing plate.

Another object is to provide' improved means 'for locating and. relocating the projection: machine with respect to the printing plate device. v

Another object is to provide means for bringing the negative into direct contact with the printing plate when making contact prints, the Contact bein 'under a certain pressure, releasing an readjusting the negative, and bringing it back against the printing plate@y Another object is to provide an adjustable pressure beam for the printing plate, improved means fory clamping the printing plate soit is drawn across the pressure beam, and individual means for taking buckles lout ofthe plate.

' Another object is to rovide an improved form of cushion paddmg for the pressure beam. A

)Another object is to provide improved means for holding 'the negative holder, when it is under pressure, against the printing plate and pressure beam and, at the same time, allow for expansion of the double camera bed late.

Another o ject is to provide means for joining the frame, carrying the projection machine, the printing plate and the printing plate pressure beam supporting means into practically a unitary structure when a print is being made by direct contact.

Another object is to provide improved means for supportingfthe negativev so it will withstand the pressure applied thereto against the printingplate pressure beam, and provide means for indicating such pressure.

Another object'KY is to provide improved means-for centralizing the negative at any desired point and at any` desired angle.

Another object is to provide improved means for day ight working ofthe machine, `whether used tion printing.

With these andA incidental objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are hereinafter described with reference to the -drawingswhich accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of Vmy improved machine as usedforv projection printing. Fig. 2 isI a side elevation of, the front end of the machine as used for contact .age and the contact pressure beam structure. Fig. 8 is an end view of the same.

Fi 9 is a fragmentary side elevation detai of the'scale and pointer for locating the position of the screen frame. Fig. 10 is a sectional bottom view of the same. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional detail showing the means for operatin the split nut controlling the lon tudina motion of the carriage. Fig. 12 1s an enlarged detail of the splid nut and its operating ecentrics, and Fig. 13- is a partly sectional plan view of the same as positioned in its housing.

Fig. 14 is a lside elevation of one style of negative box. Fi 15 is a similar view of a second style o negative box. Fi 16 isa fragmentary plan view of the sliging ways carried on the top of the table, and the supporting and telescoping feet for the bellows support and negative holder. Fig. 17 is a sectional plan view of the same and showing the operating` means for obtaining pressure contact between the negafor direct contact or projecj printing. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the means used` ,Fig 5 'tive and printing plate. Fig. 18 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the eccentrios used in moving the sliding table longitudinally for pressure contact.

Fig. 19 is a sectional side view, taken from the rear, of the means used for raising and lowering the screen frame. sectional plan view of the same. Fig. 21 is a section taken on the line .2l-21, Fig. 19. Fig. 22 is a fragmentary sectional detail taken on the line 22-22, Fig. 19. Fig. 23 is a sectional rearview of the means for raising and lowering the contact beam. Fig. 24 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the raising and lowering nuts and screws. Fig. 25l is a sectional rear view of the means used for raising and lowering the upper clamp beam in the screen frame. Fig. 26r

is a section taken-on the line 26-26,Fig. 25. Fig. 27 is a front view of the beam showing the means for turning the bevel gear. Fig. 28 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 28-28, Fig. 1. taken on the line 29.-29, Fig. '1. Fig. 30 is a fragmentary front view of a portion of the upper clamp beam showing one of the individual clamps and a fragment of a negative plate clamped thereto. Fig. 31 is a fragmentary rea-r view showing the hinge of the individual clamp.

Fig. 32 is an enlarged detail oi' the end locking means provided foi-the registering scale. Fig. 33 is a side` view of the same. Fig. 34 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the beam supporting the front end of the lower half of the camera bed plate and showing the adjustment means :tor taking up wear in its sliding way.

Fig. 35 is an enlarged detail of the iront corner of the portion ci the carriage at which the traveling tape is registered with respect to the scale carried by the carriage. Fig. 36 is a partial sectional view of the same, showing the manner in which the tape is passed transversely across the carriage.

Fig. 37 is yan enlarged detail showing the means for raising and loweringthe lamp support. Fig. 38 is a sectional view taken on the line 323-38,l Fig. 37; and Fig. 39 is a section taken on the line 39-39, Fig. 37.

Fig. 40 is a partial sectional plan view of the rear corner of the carriage on the operating side oi the machine, showing the manner 1n which the tape passes transversely across the carriage at that end. Fig.. 41 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the supporting means for the pulley around which the tape passes at the-opposite corner. Fig. 42 is a view taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 41. Fig. 43 is a sectional detail showing the manner otinalring angu lar adjustments on the negative holder. Fig.. 44 is an enlarged detail showing the m1- crometer for registering the angular adjust7 ment effected by the means shown in Fig. 43.

Fig. 20 is aV Fig. 29 is va sectionA Fig. 45 is a section taken on the line 45-45, Fig. 43.

Fig. 46 is a detail of the vertical adjustment of the negative holder. Fig. 47 is a section taken on the line 47--47, Fig. 46. Fig. 48 is a detail showing the transverse adjustment of the negative holder. y

Fig. 49 is a detail showing the level and protractor used in lining up a negative. Fig. 50 is a side View of the same. Fig. 51 is a'partial section taken on the line 51-51, Fig. 49, and Fig. 52 is a sectional view taken on the line 52-52, Fig. 49.

Fig. 53 Sheet 5, is a sectional detail show.

ing the manner in which the pressure beam slides in its ways.

Fig. 54 is a fragmentary view showing the manner in which the side curtains are mounted to the screen' frame and the top and bottom curtains.

Fig. 55 is a similar view showing thev manner in which the top and bottom curtains are attached to the rollers and screen frame.

Fig. 56 Sheet 8 is a similar view showing the manner in which the side curtains are attached to the bellows when the machine is used for contact printing, and Fig. 57 is a. fragmentary view showing the manner in which the side curtains are slidably attached to the bellows for projection printing.

Fig. 58 is a front view o-.the negative holder, and Fig. 59 is a section taken on the line 60-60, Fig. 58, and showing a portion of the negative holder mounting frame, Figure 60 is a fragmentary detail showing the anti-friction mounting of the side curtains, and Figure 61 Sheet 4 is a fragmentary perspective detail of the contact pressure indieating device.

Relative adjustment? of projection machine and priv/amig plate.

As shown in Fig. 1, 'the sub-base l is mounted on springs or vibration absorbing means 2, so that this sub-base, together with what is carried thereon, will act as a unit in regard to any vibrations transmitted to the sub-base from the earth or building in which the machine is placed.

A carriage 37 mounted on rollers 4, runs longitudinally on the sub-base 1 on the tracks 5, Figs. 1 and 5.

'lhe rollers 4 are carried by the fork 6, .and each armor the fork has a threaded bushing 7 in which is journalled the roller shaft 3, so that, by screwing the two bushings in or out by means of the heads 9, the rollers 4 may be adjusted laterally so as to run accurately on the tracks 5 and provide means for 'taking up wear. As shown particularly in Figure 5, the sides of each trackway converge upwardly and are connected at the top oi the track or rail .by a fiat wall. The rollers have dverging sidewalls which fit and ride upon the converging side walls of the tracks with the central part of the periphery of the roller spaced from the upper wall of the track. v

The carriage 3 may be moved longitudinally by means of the hand wheel 10, Fig.

v1, which rota-tes the shaft 11, Fig. 3, journalled in a portion of. the carriage frame, and, 'by means ofthe bevel gears 12 and spur gears 13, 14 and 15, rotates the screw 16.

The screw 16, Figs. 11, 12 and 13, cooperates With the split nut comprisedof halves -17 and 18, controlled as hereinafter described, and this split nut is carried in the housing 19, rigidly attached to the subbase 1, hence, when the screw 16 is rotated, the carriage 3 will 'travel back and vforth on the tracks 5.

Journalled in the housing 19, the shafts 20 and 21' carry eccentrics 22 and 23, respectively, playing in the apertures provided therefor in the halves 17 and 18 of the split nut.

The shafts 20 and 21 have crank arms 23 and 24, respectively, connected by a link 25, and a link 26, hinged at 27 tothe crank 23. is hinged at 28 to the rod 29, which, in turn, is pivotally and slidably joined at 3U to the lever 31', hinged at 32 to the frame of the sub-base.

It is evident that, with the lever standing in the position-as shown in Fig. 11, and

the split nut thus opened, the screw 16 is free and the carriage 3 may be easily rolled back and forth by hand for a quick, coarse `positioning of the carriage.

By throwing the lever 31 clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 11, the split nut is closed onto the screw 16 and the carriage is then under control of the hand wheel 10.

The camera bed plate 33, Fig. 1, is mounted on the carriage 3 for slidable transverse movement thereon, and this movement is controlled by the hand Wheel 34, which turns the screw 35 and, through bevel gears 36 and shaft 37 and bevel gears 38, also turns the screw 39. These screws 35 and 39 co-operate with nuts 40 and 41, respectively, carried by the bed plate 33, and, through the engagement of the screws and nuts, bed plate 33 is moved transversely by the operation of the hand wheel 34. Substantially the same mechanism is shown in.y my Patent No. 1,327,752 above referred to.

The forward end of the bed plate slides in the carriage 3 in a dovetailcd way 42 in said carriage, Fig. 2, while the rear end rests on a flat way 43`\at the rear end of the carriage 3, and the flat way 43 near the center of the bed plate.

The construction and operation just described prvides for the longitudinal and transverse movement of the devices carried by the bed plate 33, whether the machine'is used for contact printing or projection printing. Vertical adjustment between the devices carried on the bed plate 33 and the printing plate on which print is being made is provided by the vertical movement of the printingvplate, itself.

Supported by the braces 44, Fig. 1, is a screen frame guide comprised of upright beams 45 and 46 tied together by the transverse beam 47. Mounted for vertical slidable movement therein is a screen frame comprised of a top member 48, side members 49 and 50, and frame clamp bar 51.

A hand w-heel 52, Figs. 1, 19 and 20, provides means for turning the shaft 53, and, through spiral gears 54, Fig. 20, the screw 55.

(1o-operating with the screw 55 is a nut 56 'carried by the screen frame, and a simila-r nut 56 is controlled, through the screw and the spiral gears 54', by the shaft 53. Hence the operation of the hand wheel 52 raises or lowers the screen frame, the side members 4 9 and 50 traveling in ways in the upright beams 45 and 46, as shown in Fig. 20. l

The side portions of the upright beams 45 and 46,A which are bolted at 127 ,`Fig. 53, to the adjacent portions 128 of the braces 44, are'channelled .out as shown at 129, and the pressure beam 59, Figs. 1, 2 and 23 and' 53, has tongues 60 and 61 Fig. 23 slidably mounted therein.

Referring to Figs. 23v and 24, both, of which are arranged horizontallyto accommodate themselves to the drawing sight, but` which in point of fact show vertically arranged parts, there are shown screws 62 and 63, journalled at 130 and 131 at their upper ends, that is to say, the left-hand side of the views, and at 132 and 133 at their lower ends, that is to say, at the 'right-hand side of the views, co-operate with the flanged nuts 64 and 65, respectively, carried by the pressure beam 59, and these screws are controlled by the hand wheel 66 through the shaft 67 `and spiral gears 68 and 69, so the rotation of the hand wheel 66 will raise and lower the pressure beam 59 in the ways 129 independently of the screen frame.

In my standardized machine the negative vglass is eighteen inches square, but a negative ilm of a smaller area may be centrally located on this glass. Hence, when prints are being made along the lower horizontal portion of 'a printing plate, the beam 59 should be moved downward so as to give a good pressure surface for the negative glass, and, similarly, the contact pressure beam may require readjustment when the upper horizontal portion ofa printing plate is having prints made thereon.

1n the standardized machine, the pressure beam 59 is eighteen inches wide so that, nor- Locating and relocating in step and repeat photo printing.

nvcolor work, one negative is prepared for each color that is to be printed, and

whether a printing plate is to have a singleprint made thereon and corresponding plates for each of the other negatives prepared for the color printing, or whether each of the negatives is to be produced in multiplicity ont prints on each plate to tacilitate quantity printing, it will be obvious that great accuracy will be required oi the photo printing machine.,

As the colors must register exactly when printed, eXtreme accuracy is demanded, and, for commercial operation ot a photodithof graph machine, this accurate handling ot the machine should also be rapid.

Whether used in Contact printing or proj'ection printing, it is evident that registrations will be similar, and hence a description of the locating and relocating means will be carried through for a set ot contact printing operations..

With the carriage in the position shown in Fig. 2, the negative 70 is brought into contact with the printing plate 7i. by the o eration of the hand wheel 10 under conslderable pressure and the print made in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The negative is then moved backwardly from the printing plate about three quarters of an inch by special 'meanshereinafter ldescribed, and the camera bed plate moved transversely on the carriage by turning the hand wheel Sli so as to bring the negative into the position 'for the next print in the same horizontal line as the one rst made,

`When the first print is made, a reading` is taken of theoregistration oi the arrow 72 on the tape 73, Fig. 35, with the sca-le 73 on the carriage, and a record made of this reading.

A record is also taken oi': the reading ot the micrometer 741-, Fig. 2, and the cyclo-meter 75, the tape giving the approximate location so that the negative may be relocated approximately by watching the tape Z3 while turning the hand wheel 3ft and the exact location made by the reading ot the cyclometer, which makes one step every time the hand wheel Si is rotated once, and the micrometer, which is divided into twohunvtired-fifty graduationsB As the screws 35 and 39 are of our threads to the inch, each graduation of the micrometer corresponds to a transverse movement of one one-thousandth of an inch of the negative, and, as the dial of the micrometer is made of such dimension that the distance be tween graduations is approximately a quarter of an inch, itis a simple matter to read the location or relocation of the negative to witllliin less than one one-thousandth of an inc The tape 73 is rigidly mounted at one'end of an angle bracket 76, Figs. `32 and 33, mounted on a portion 77 of the camera bed plate near the center of the front thereof, and passes around pulleys 7 8 and 7 9 through an aperture 8O in a side member of the carriage, where it runs adjacent to the scale marked on the-carriage so the graduations of the scale may be read thereby.

The tape passes longitudinally along the outer face of the carriage until it reaches a point near therear thereof where it passes through an aperture 81 Fig. 40, in the carriage and 'around pulleys 82 and 83, thus passing transversely across the rear ot the inside of the carriage to the opposite corner, where it passes around the pulley 83', supported by the bracket 84 "from a frame portion 85 of the carriage, thei'ice it passes forwardly along the carriage to the Jforward corner opposite the hand wheel 3d, Where it passes around a similar pulley, likewise carried by the carriage, and thence toward the bracket 76, Fig. 83, the tree end 87 of the tape being connected to a spring 88, the other end of which is `caught in the fixed end of the tape at 89.

lt is apparent that, as the camera bed plate is moved transversely by the operation of the hand wheel 34, the tape will travel with it running over the pulleys, as heretofore described, and that the spring 88 will take up all of the slack and also allow for variations in temperature so the tape will be kept taut at all times.

These operations will be repeated until the printing plate has as many prints made thereon as is required in this particular horizontal line, then the printing plate will be moved upwardly or downwardly to a second vertical position and the series oE operations repeated along a new horizontal line.

'in locating the printing plate vertically, readings are taken from the micrometer 90, Fig. 2, andthe micrometer and screws, controlled by the hand wheel 52, are of the same graduation and pitch as those just described, so the same accuracy is obtained on the vertical locationoi the printing plate as is-obtained with the horizontal location of the negative. As the vertical movement of the screen frame which carries the printing plate has already been described, it will not be repeated at this place.

t is apparent that the entire plate may 4negative so they will register exactly with those made from the first negative.

Means for releasing and reaaljustng the negative under its original Contact pressure. v

It is important that the same pressure be set up between the negative and the printing plate in making all of the prints, and special. means have accordingly been provided for drawing the negative out of contact with the printing plate and bringing it back up against the prlnting plate in anew position with the same amountI of pressure as existed between thenegative and printing plate in its first-position.

Looking' at Figs. 16, 17 and 18, itv will be seen that the camera plate 91 is mounted for longitudinal movementv in the ways 92 and 93 of the camera bed plate 33, a gib 94 being provided to take up wear.

J ournalled in the bed plate and *bearingA 95, `supported on the carriage, is a shaft 96 to which eccentrics 97 and 98 arev featherkeyed, so these eccentrics may be operated by the hand lever 99, keyed to the Ishaft 96, regardless of the transverse, position of the bed plate on the carriage. i

As shown in Fig. 18,- these eccentrics turn between lugs 100 and 101 of the camera plate, so the movement of the lever 99 moves the camera plate a certain distance forward or backward, a pin 102, Fig. 17, being provided to limit the throw in each direction so that a certain movement fected.

Accordingly the carriage may be moved forwardly by the hand wheel 10 so that the negative is brought into contact with the printing plate under a certain pressure with the lever 99 in its forward position. When the lever 99 is thrown to its backward position, the negative is moved out of contact with the printing plate; the negative may then be moved to a new position, whereupon if the lever 99 is again thrown to its forward position the negative is brought into contact with the printing plate underv the same pressure as it had in its first position.

It is important that the negative be alis always efvWays brought against the lprinting plate with a considerable pressure and this pressure should be known. Accordingly provision is made for indicating the ressure exeited-by the negative Vagainst t e printing p ate.

Looking at Figs. 2 and 61 it will be seen that the frame 148 is slidably mounted in the negativebox and that cushion springs Y230areV positioned between theframe 148 and the sub-frame 231 rigidly fastened to the negative box.

A gears are actuated b It is apparent that a movement of the negativeis thus allowed against the action of the springs 230.

Rotatably and slidably mounted in the frame 148 is one end 232 of a bell crank,

the crank of which is journalled at 233 inj` thewall of the negative box, the'opposite end being fastened into an indicator 234; so that when the negative is pressed backward- 1y a ainst the spring action this indicator will e` swung about an arc and the reading of the scale 235 will indicate the amount of by the negative on the pressure exerted printing plate.-

Adjustable pressure bear-n and clampv han for printing plates.

The

are to edge b clamp made will be cau ht at its lower clamps 103 carrie b the' frame ar 51, Fig. 1, and will caught at the upper edge by clam S104, carried byv movable clam bar 105, igs. 1 and 27.

Journalled 1n the frame clamp bari at"106 and 107,'Fig. 25, and in the upper, frame bar at 108 and 109, Fig. 1, are screws 110 1pinting plate on which the printsV and 111. Bevel gears 112 and-113are iny teriorly threaded to co-operate with screws 110 and 111, respectively, and these bevel bevel gears 114 and 115, respectivel driven by the shaft 116, and this shaft 1s rotated by the bevel gear 117, which in turn, is rotated by the bevel gear 118, and this bevel gear 11s provided with a socket, 119, Fig. 27, so it'may be. rotated by applying a suitable wrench theretothrough an aperture in the movable clamp bar.

The movable clamp bar 105 is supported by the bevel gears 112 and 113, which turn against the lower portion thereof so it is raised and llowered by the upward and downward travel of the bevel gears 112 and by raising the clamp bar 105, there are small buckles in the plate which cannot be entirely taken out by an equal stretch of the entire plate. For this reason the clamps 104. are made individually adjustable.

Looking at Figs. 29 and 30, it Awill be seen that the clamp bodies 121 'are hin ed at 122 `to themovable clamp bar 105, an when the printing plate 71 is caught in the jaws of the clamp at 124 by the action of the thumb screw 125 and it isl necessary to take out a buckle of lthe plate under or adjacent to this clamp, the entire clamp may be raised 

